Temporally modulated multi-LED for enhanced subconscious physiological responses

Abstract

A light source and a method of generating a light using the light source is disclosed. The light source is configured to produce a plurality of distinct colors in generating the light, one of the distinct colors falling within a blue spectral light band. A light controller modulates the spectral light produced by the plurality of distinct colors. The modulation provides melanopsin contrast in order to increase melanopsin responsiveness of a subject exposed to the generated light and maintains the color temperature, color quality, and color constancy experienced by the subject in a lit viewing environment within an acceptable range.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]The priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 365,610, filed Jul. 22, 2016, and entitled “Temporally Modulated Multi-LED for Enhanced Subconscious Physiological Responses” is claimed and the entire contents thereof are incorporated by reference herein.STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT SUPPORT[0002]This invention was made with government support under grant numbers EY013934 and EY007003 awarded by the National Institutes of Health. The government has certain rights in this invention.BACKGROUND[0003]The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.[0004]Photic stimulation of ret...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent proposes a new way of designing lighting that enhances non-image-forming visual responses, such as those important for regulating circadian rhythms and mood. This is done by introducing a melanopsin-selective flicker into the light through a silent substitution technique, which minimizes cone-based perception of the flicker. The technique uses a linear optimization algorithm to maximize the contrast of the melanopsin response function while keeping conscious responses to the flickering light fixed. It also takes into account the lighting industry's standard test color samples and any specified object color to limit the amount of perceived color change caused by the flickering light. This approach can help overcome the detrimental effects of insufficient daytime light.

Problems solved by technology

To date, lighting technologies have been designed to improve energy efficiency and visual comfort, but their physiological effects have been largely overlooked.

Because the recommended illuminance of indoor lighting is typically ≥10-fold lower than outdoor levels, inadequate daytime light exposure has been linked to various morbidities.

As researchers are learning, insufficient daytime light exposure or overexposure during subjective night can result in not only discomfort but also jet lag symptoms, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and general depressive disorders.

Conversely, boosting daytime blue light exposure can decrease reaction times, increase alertness, and ameliorate SAD symptoms.

But, as researchers are finding, it is unrealistic to promote subconscious photostimulation simply by enhancing blue emission in indoor lighting as that would cause poor color rendering and undesirable color temperature.

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